Leisure scheme secures top line-up

Jun 11 2008 by Tony McDonough, Liverpool Daily Post

PLANET Ice has signed an agreement to operate the ice rink in the £10m Venture Fields leisure centre project, in Widnes.

This flagship leisure scheme by Widnes Regeneration, the joint venture between St Modwen Properties and Halton Council, now has a confirmed line-up of ice-rink (Planet Ice), 24-lane bowling alley (Tenpin), and five-screen cinema (Reel Cinemas), as well as restaurants including Frankie & Bennys, and associated retail.

Richard Bakes, development manager of St Modwen, said: “A major leisure attraction has been an ambition for Widnes, and to have attracted the range of occupiers exceeds the expectations of even the optimistic.

“To underwrite the scheme, St Modwen was willing to operate the ice-rink itself, as it did in Solihull, but our preference was always to find a specialist independent operator.

“We are therefore delighted that Venture Fields has attracted such a high-profile operator, who we feel is well-suited to operate the rink in Widnes.”